Tennis racket



Jan. 28, 1941. P. c. CAINES TENNIS RAKET Filed Oct. 9, 1939 figma. 05 a ves- Patented Jan. 28, l941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE TENNIS RACKET- Percy Charles Gaines, Strathfield, near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Application October 9, 1939; Serial No. 298,649 In Australia December 1, 1938 Claims. (01. 273-73) This invention relates to improvements in tenwith sand, is bent to the required shape in such nis rackets having tubular metal frames. a manner that the two ends of the metal tube 1, In the past it has been proposed to form metal form a handle 8 when securely welded together. frame tennis rackets by drilling holes for the A separate bridge piece 9 is welded between the gut in a similar manner to the drilling-of holes converging ends of frame 6 just prior to fcrmain wooden frame rackets but this method was tion of the throat ID for the purpose of completnot satisfactory, in as much that while the outing the oval head, --characteristic of the tennis side holes took the strain of the gut, the friction ra ketof the gut on the holes on the inside of the frame, e d e 8 s formed y Opening the p 10 caused by the continual flexing of the rack t in tive ends of the metal tube 1 at the base of the 10 play, subsequently frayed and severed the gut throat Ill and welding their edges to form the said at these points. handle which has approximately twice the cross An obje t of the present inv ntion i t oversectional area of the frame. A leather grip such come the above disadvantage and to provide a as H y e added to p e S pp du n metal frame racket of simple yet robust construc- P 15 tion, For a short portion of its length, the metal According to the present invention ametal tube tube 1 is left unwelded 170 form a longitudinal of suitable cross section and length is filled with Slot in t d e 8, for the purpose of imsand and bent to the shape of a tennis racket in Porting the desired fleXing to t e throat Zone such a manner that the two ends of the tube and eliminate any liemiehey 0f th upper D01- 20 form part of the handle when welded or secured tion of the handle 3 to buckle 0 p W n btogether. A bridge piece is then welded between jected to heavy p aythe converging ends to form the complete oval eferring to the enlarge P n o t e frame shape of th frame 6 illustrated in Fig. 2 recesses l3 are stamped on The f a th formed has recessed portions the inner side thereof at predetermined intervals 25 stamped on it inner face t predetermined leaving upraised portions I4. A small hole is now tervals and extending between each recessed pormed through these upreised po tio s l4 said tion is a channel, the length of which is governed hole being expanded y a pu ch o form slots by th spacing of t k t strings This cham or channels l5 extending between adjacent renel is out between the adjacent recessed portions 065585 and running longitudinally W t re- 30 and runs longitudinally with respect to the frame. spect to the e- The punched depressed portion does not remove Expansion of the hole is p ly one under the metal but merely displaces it inwardly and in heat and the metal displaced e efrom forms so doing, by the nature of the punch, for an a raised lip 16 about the slots or channels I5. internal guiding recess for the gut to rest upon The lip s u ed towards the centre of the 3, inside the tub 1a, frame said recessed portions I3 in such a manner that I order t the invention may be more read a smooth seat may be formed inside of the frame ily understood reference will now be made to the for the gut strings of the racket and C afi g of accompanying d i wherein; the strings during play is entirely eliminated.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved metal The stamped recesses form Suitable Curved 40 frame racket constructed in accordance with the Seats for the strings to rest upon inside t e tu upresent invention lar metal frame 6. If desired the formation of Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail i of the recesses and channels may be produced dura portion of the fram ing the act of bending the frame to the desired Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 shape- 45 of i 2 The racket may be strung in known manner, Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 but Owing to the displacement of the metal adof Fig. 1 while jacent to the slots l5 to form the seats in the I 5 is an enlarged frag e t detail View frame 8 for the strings, the knots at the end of in plan of one of t channels in the f a Show the gut would draw through the said slots I5 50 ing th filler piece or bar for preventing the fi were it not for the fact that a small metal bar ishing or commencing knots from sliding through or filler piece H (see 5) is Placed in the 510i;

id h 1 l5 before the knot is tied at either the finishing The frame 6 comprises a metal tube 1 of suitable r Commencing points. 5 cross section and length, which having been filled The present construction gives a neat appearance to the racket and ensures that the strings do not come into contact with the ground during the time the racket is being used for playing.

I claim:

1. A tennis racket comprising a substantially oval frame of tubular metal, a two-part handle extending therefrom and having portions joined together at spaced intervals to leave a flexing zone, the inner surface of the frame having a plurality of spaced slots provided therein and also provided with a plurality of depressions alternately arranged with respect to the slots, and

the surfaces of the depression on the inside of the tube constituting seats for the gut strings. which are adapted to be engaged therewith after being passed through the slots.

2. A tennis racket as claimed in claim 1, in

between the respective depressions, rounded ends for the slots, and smooth seats in the slots for the gut as it passes to and from the curved seats inside the tubular frame.

4. A tennis racket comprising a tubular metal frame, a gut stringing for the frame, said tubular metal frame having a plurality of depressed portions forming internal seats for the gut on the inside of the tubular frame, a plurality of elongated slots formed inside the frame between the depressed portions to receive the gut, the ends of the tubular frame being opened and welded to form a tubular handle, a leather strip I for the handle, and a flexing zone formed. by

leaving portions of the handle unwelded.

5. A tennis racket including a substantially oval frame of tubular metal having a plurality of spaced recesses provided at intervals in the inner surface thereof to provide seats on the inside of the frame and having, longitudinal slots arranged between and in alternate formation with the recesses, raised lips arranged about the slots and curved towards the center of the adjacent seats in such manner as to produce smoothseats for the gut strings of the racket where they pass into and from the frame, and a handle associated with the frame.

PERCY CHARLES CAINES. 

